Jesus: Stolen, Run-Away, or Risen? (Luke 23:50-24:12)

Jesus had just been crucified. All the disciples had deserted Him. One of them had betrayed Him and another denied even knowing Him three times. Now the authorities are looking for His main associates. If you were one of His Eleven Disciples, how would you feel at this point of the Gospel narrative? What would you do?

Have you ever been a part of a vision and/or an organization that failed after you had spent months to years physically, emotionally, and financially investing in? What happened, how did you feel, and what did you do after? Please share and realize this is exactly what the Disciples felt, except probably much worse.

Luke uses the Gospel account at the end of this passage (24:12) as a literary device to have the ready become like the Apostle Peter, wondering what had happened to Jesus’ body. Was He stolen? Did He survive and run away somewhere? Or was He truly risen, as the women disciples had said? Let’s say you never heard of the entire Gospel Story before, except up to this point at Lk. 24:12. What would you be wondering if you didn’t read ahead? Would you think Jesus was stolen, run-away, risen, or something else?

Have you ever struggled with the factuality of Jesus’ resurrection? If so, what is your struggle? If no, then what is the reason why you haven’t struggled with it? One thing is for certain, from what the Bible says, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is seen as something that actually happened in history. It can’t be spiritualized or just made into a metaphor. We must make a choice to believe in it or not, and our spiritual salvation depends partially on it (Rom. 10:9-10).

What else impacted you from this message? What are you going to think or do differently, if any, from what you heard from this worship message?